


Moments Between 2

by FanWriter



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-05
Packaged: 2018-05-24 22:45:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6169582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanWriter/pseuds/FanWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sequel to my other fic, 'Moments Between' - the summary from that story applies to this one, except this only has 20 short stories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moments Between 2

**YEAR 5**

''Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley,'' McGonagall said sternly, ''come with me.'' She walked back out of the portrait hole, fully expecting both boys to follow her, to her office.

Fred leaned close to his twin. ''What did we do that she found out about?''

''No idea,'' George responded. They pleaded their case as they followed their Head of House. ''Come now, Professor, we haven't done anything -''

''Today,'' Fred muttered.

''- and we're insulted you would think such a thing -''

''Of course it's not even lunch yet, so the day's still young,'' Fred continued under his breath.

''- coming from two, charming gentlemen, such as ourselves,'' George finished, jabbing an elbow into his brother's ribs.

Professor McGonagall bit her lip to keep from smiling or laughing. ''Inside, boys,'' she said holding open her office door. Both boys took seats and, she notice, had sheepish looks on their faces.

''Please don't tell Mum,'' George pleaded.

''She's likely to cause harm this time,'' Fred mused.

''You're not in trouble.'' Professor McGonagall picked up a file from her desk and stood before the dumbfounded twins. ''I don't have to explain anything to either of you; you know how dark things are becoming, not only with Umbridge, but with the up-coming war. Oh, yes, despite the efforts of the Order, that is where we are heading. Contrary to Dolores' opinion, I think one of the things we need to help uplift our spirits, is laughter. I've arranged for you to take your N.E.W.Ts ahead of time, so you can leave the castle, and start reminding people to have good times and to remember them while they have the chance. Before things become so bleak, they feel happiness is impossible.''

The boys looked at each other, and asked, ''What are you talking about?''

She walked behind them and put a hand on Fred's shoulder and begun to sing in a soft voice. ''Happy birthday to you,'' She turned to George. ''Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to the two of you, and may all of your dreams become true.'' She placed the folder in their hands and waited, smiling when they opened it. ''It's a plot to some land in Diagon Alley - that is, if you still want to open your joke shop.''

''Of course!'' Fred jumped up and down.

''Do you really meant it?'' George said disbelieving.

''I ask just three things of you two boys,'' she said, becoming stern again. ''Do your best on your exams and take them seriously. Don't tell anyone about this - who knows what Dolores would pull if word were to get out.'' She made her way to leave her office.

''Wait, Professor,'' began Fred.

''What's the third thing,'' George asked, turning around in his chair.

Professor McGonagall paused at the door and grinned. ''Please, do try to go out with a - bang, would you?''

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**YEAR 5**

The Order meeting had finished a few hours ago, but some of the members had stayed behind for dinner. They had just finished dessert when they heard a tapping on the window. Tonks got up to open the window, but Kingsley quickly stood and motioned for her to sit back down. She'd already fell down four flights of stairs - twice - and he didn't want her to injure herself futher. He opened the window and Hedwig flew in, a large box in her talons. Kingsley looked at the brightly wrapped box with 'Happy Birthday' printed all over it. ''I suppose she's here for Sirius.''

Mrs. Weasley stopped what she was doing, a pie serving utensil hovering in mid-air. ''It's Sirius' birthday? Why didn't he tell us?''

''Doesn't really like birthdays much,'' Mad-Eye grunted, ''it's just any other day to him.''

''Hey Remus,'' Tonks asked as Remus as he walked into the room, ''is it really Sirius' birthday today?''

''Yeah. I got him a little something from Zonko's.'' He sat down and stretched out his legs. ''Ahh,'' he looked at Hedwig. ''I see Harry got him something as well.'' He furrowed his brow, noticing small holes at the top of the package. Lifting his nose in the air, he took a few small sniffs. ''You better go get Sirius, Hedwig. His 'present' needs air.'' He watched the owl fly through the door, and turned back to the other's confused faces. ''I'm not saying anything, you'll have to wait until he opens it.''

It wasn't long before they heard a strange noise coming down the steps. The door opened of it's own accord and in walked Buckbeak, Sirius riding on his back. ''I was summoned?'' he said, dismounting.

''Harry sent a birthday gift. I thought you should open it right away,'' Remus explained.

Sirius looked at the box and frowned at the holes he saw. Sniffing, his face broke out into a smile, and he went over and opened the box. Quite yips were heard, and then a small head peeped out - then another. Sirius eyes were wide as he counted under his breath. ''Nine. Nine puppies.'' He stuck out his lower lip and looked at his brother. ''Can we keep them?''

Remus sighed. ''They were a gift, I suppose.''

Sirius smiled and looked back into the box. ''Oh, a letter.'' He pulled out the piece of parchment. '' _Dear Sirius, Happy Birthday. I hope you're not a cat person. I know nine puppies is a lot, and I will explain. I was out walking, wondering what a good gift to get you would be, and, well - I saw a dog in the road. It looked like it got hit by a car (a muggle mode of trasportation). I was going to move it off to the side, so it wouldn't get hit again, but the closer I got,''_ Sirius quietly read the rest to himself before thrusting it note to Remus and walked out toward the kitchen.

''What was that about?'' Tonks asked.

Remus looked down and read, _''I saw some puppies trying to wake up the dog - I guess she was their mother. I couldn't in good conscience leave them there, and there still too young to be on their own, and I knew it would be better if they were taken care of by another dog, so ...''_ Remus scanned over the rest of the note; Harry saying he hoped to see Sirius soon and that he had a good birthday. The room was in silence as everyone was reminded of everyday tragedies, not just of the ones caused by war.

Mrs. Weasley huffed. ''He ought to be ashamed - walking away from those puppies.''

Remus looked up, confused. ''Walked away? He didn't walk away. He just went to the kitchen to get some milk.''

''How do you know that he -'' she was intrerrupted by the door opening again.

Sirius walked in with nine milk bottles in his hands. ''Help me will you, mate?''

''Sure.'' Remus helped Sirius feed the puppies, then snuggled them into the side of Sirius' animagus form to keep them warm. Remus smiled at the scene in front of him. ''Papa Padfoot.'' Sirius growled at him.

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**YEAR 5**

Harry smiled at the picture in front of him, recently added to his album, of him, Sirius, and Remus. Earlier in the evening, as everyone had been cleaning the various rooms in Grimmauld Place, Harry had found a camera. Going two rooms over, he walked in to find Sirius wrapping a bandage around Remus' arm. They had just gotten rid of an unknown creature - and Harry had to admit, them not knowing what it was made him feel anxious. When Harry nervously asked his uncles to be in a family picture with him, they were slightly stunned. It hadn't occured to them that Harry would want, or didn't have, an updated picture of them. So they gather together, with Harry in between them, with their arms slung over his shoulders in a carefree manner, and took the picture. Harry knew looking down at the moving picture now, it would be something he would always treasure.

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**YEAR 5**

What ...?

Harry thought, staring at his hand as the words he had just wrote on the parchment were etched into his skin.

''Yes?,'' Umbridge asked concerned in a sickly, sweet voice.

Looking into her eyes now, he realized, her High Inquisitor role wasn't just a job - it was something she enjoyed doing. He'd pegged her down as a power-hungry woman, doing everything Fudge wanted her to do for a higher position, and coupled with an unhealthy infatuation to boot. An icy chill ran the length of his spine. _I was wrong. She really is this evil._ ''Nothing.''

''That's right.'' She paused, ''because you know deep down, you deserved to be punished. Don't you, Mr. Potter? Go on,'' she whispered.

''How'd detention with 'Pinky' go,'' Ron asked as Harry walked into the common room.

''I'd kinda wondered what a more lady-like version of Bellatrix would be like. Now I know.''

''It can't have been that bad.''

''At least Bellatrix and Voldemort don't try to hide what they are,'' he said, lightly rubbing the stinging out of his hand against the back of his pants leg, out of sight. The different, unavoidable way in which he'd had to write the words each time made the letters wider, and even after leaving Umbridge's office, he could still smell the stench of blood in his nose. His blood. ''Just, whatever you do, don't do anything to piss her off,'' he said, quickly walking up to his room to tend to his hand, and not allow Ron time to question him further.

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**YEAR 5**

''I ... I saw Neville's parents today,'' Harry admitted.

Sirius had followed him upstairs to question him about his mood - he'd thought he'd be happy to see that Arthur was going to be okay. Upon entering the room, he saw Harry sitting on the edge of his bed, and went to join him. ''I see.''

''How can anyone be so - so -,'' he grasped to find the right word.

''Cruel?'' Sirius supplied. He gave a grim smile before saying, ''It's far easier to be cruel than kind.''

Harry was silent for a moment. ''When did you get so wise?''

''Your grandmother.'' His eyes glazed over in a far away memory. Snapping out of it, he lightly slapped his thigh. ''She made the best cauldron cakes you've ever tasted. Treacle-tarts, too. Those were you're dad's favorite.''

''They're in the long-term care ward. I'm sure treatment funding's probably being brushed off for more severe cases,'' Harry said bitterly, even though he understood the logic of it.

''Harry, I'm sure plenty of people have already tried to find a way to make them better,'' Sirius said placatedly.

''You haven't - and I'm sure your loads smarter than some of those Healers,'' his eyes lighting up. ''You're a Marauder, you helped make the map, discovered parts of the castle that very few people alive or dead ever have, you pulled off all those pranks ... pull Remus in and between the two of you ... I know you could find a cure.''

Harry was looking at him with such hopeful eyes - eyes that thought he and Remus were akin to supermen. Alice and Frank had been good people - friends. How could he say no without even trying. ''I can't promise anything,'' he paused, ''but Remus and I will try.'' The smile Harry gave him was one of the very brightest he'd ever seen in his life.

It had been eight long months since he'd gave his word to Harry to try. He and Remus spent most of their free time researching, and trying to come up with spells. Dumbledore would still have Remus do tasks for the Order, but he'd go right back to helping Sirius whenever he finished. Their energy was progressively draining, but the hope they'd seen in their nephew's eyes kept them going, and now, finally, they did it. They'd done test run after test run, making sure they had it just right, before Remus went to the hospital to perform the spell. Sirius was pacing back and forth in the kitchen waiting for Remus' return. He heard the door open and rushed to the enterance. ''Well?'' he asked hesitantly.

Remus stood in the doorway, silent. Then, his face broke out into a wide grin. ''It worked,'' he said simply.

''It worked,'' Sirius repeated disbelievingly.

''They'll have to stay in the hospital for a little longer to make sure, but ... it's looking good. As soon as McGonagall heard, she gave Neville two weeks off from school - he'll have his homework sent to him of course, and the healers say he can stay in his parents room as long as he doesn't cause any disturbances. They've already rolled a bed in.'' He chuckled. ''We did it, Padfoot. We actually did it.''

Sirius was smiling like a mad man. ''Don't tell me you had doubts, Moony,'' he laughed. ''After all, we are two fully-trained Marauders.''

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**YEAR 5**

''Whoa,'' Harry said incredulously, holding Remus' photo album in his hands.

''I know.'' Remus sat beside his nephew, looking over his shoulder at the picture. It was a picture of James and Sirius in first year that he'd taken himself. They had their arms around each other's shoulders, laughing. ''Everyone was surprised they weren't twins. The only visable difference between them was their eyes and voices. Your father of course had always had glasses, but from far away people didn't see them and they still got the two of them mixed up - even your grandmother got confused on occasion. That's why Sirius started growing his hair out; then the beard when he got older.'' Remus looked down fondly at the photo. ''I always called them two halves of a whole bunch of mischief,'' he said when the two boys in the picture started poking each other. James may be gone now, but he would always carry the memories in his heart.

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**YEAR 5**

Harry walked into the study to see Sirius slumped in the plush armchair, staring into the fire. ''How are you feeling?'' he asked sitting down on the floor next to him.

''Nostalgic,'' he responded in a quietly, far away voice. ''You?''

Harry regarded him carefully. ''Wondering.''

Sirius guffawed. ''Stop then, it's me whose supposed to take care of you.''

''We can take care of each other.'' Harry defended, grinning up at his uncle.

A snort escaped Sirius as he sat up straighter in the chair. ''Can't exactly say I've done a good job so far.''

Harry furrowed his brows. ''Of course you have. How many other thirteen-year-olds can say they've had a supposedly-convicted felon break out of prison, just for them. Then, have said felon have help from a werewolf to rescue said 13-year-old from a rat. I think you and Remus have done a great job so far considering the circumstances.''

A small smile graced itself across Sirius' lips. ''When you say it like that, I can almost believe you.''

''You should,'' Harry said, bumping his shoulder into Sirius' knee, ''Because it's true.''

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**YEAR 3**

Harry made his way over to Professor Lupin after having congratulated Hagrid on getting the Care of Magical Creatures position, and caught him just as he was standing to leave. ''Professor Lupin, sir,'' he called out.

Remus stopped and turned around. ''Ah, Harry. Feeling better?''

''Much - although Madam Pomfrey still insisted on looking me over.'' He muttered the last part under his breath. ''Anyway, I came over to wish you luck ... and to warn you. Trouble seems to have a way of finding me, and - well - last year, Lockhart's memory got wiped, which was really his fault, he was the one who casted the spell at me, but he had Ron's wand, so it back fired. First year, the defense professor ... well, I may have, kinda, crumbled him to ash.'' Harry shook his head. ''Point being, you seem like a really nice guy, and I wish you the best, just, stay away from me. It's in your best interest, considering.'' Harry stared at his now speachless professor and shifted awkwardly. ''Well, see you later I guess. Goodnight.''

Remus watch Harry's retreating back until he was out of sight. Still slightly stunned, he went a few paces and waited for Dumbledore and McGonagall's conversation to finish before walking up to the Headmaster. ''Professor. I think we need to talk.''

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**YEAR 5**

''Sirius?'' Harry stared at his cup of tea raptly, as he struggled to bring his mind out of his thoughts and to form words. ''If you had to choose, between ... love and, expectations ... what would you choose.'' He paused in his movement of circling the rim of the teacup with his finger to hurriedly admend, ''and before you say anything, know that while love feels right, the expectations ... make ... sense, somehow.''

Sirius regarded him carefully. ''I think you know my feeling toward expectations, and even with your futher clarification, I still say to follow your heart.'' Sirius let the silence elapse before looking up and asking, ''This is about Ginny and a Luna girl, isn't it?''

''How -''

''Harry, please, I see the way Ginny looks at you - and the way Molly looks at the two of you. It's not that difficult to figure out.''

''How did you know about Luna, though?''

Sirius snorted. ''Your parents gave me a nephew who keeps everything bottle up inside -''

''You do the same,'' Harry protested.

''- so I have to result to ulterior motives to find out things. Hedwig has been very helpful. She agrees with me that you need to open up more.''

''Yes, well, despite what my owl-mother thinks -''

''Harry, when all this, Voldy-morty stuff is over, who do you see yourself with?''

''No one, to be perfectly honest. At least that's what I thought.'' He pushed his teacup away from himself. ''At the Dursley's, I had to learn how to survive; at Hogwarts, I had to learn how to fight back. Those are the things I know how to do. I don't know how to be a good husband, or dad if it came to that. I know, I know, I'm jumping too far ahead, and I shouldn't even be thinking of marriage when I'm not even dating. Still. I didn't think I could be either of those things, but Luna - she ... understands me, without me having to say, or do, anything; being with her is a relief, it's peaceful, and I want to try to be those things, for her, with her -'' Harry trailed off slowly, looking up at his uncle. ''I just answered my own question, didn't I?''

Sirius just smirked. ''Do you see the benefits of opening up to people now?''

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**YEAR 3**

Professor Lupin was reading the Daily Prophet at the staff table in the Great Hall, sipping his tea. He was half-way through an article about an on-going investigation in southern France, when he heard someone clear their throat. Looking up above the paper, he identified the person wanting to speak with him, and fully lowering the paper when he saw the predicament said person was in. ''Harry?''

''Sir.'' Harry's mouth was drawn into a thin line, his face a mix of annoyance and exasperation.

Remus wondered if this had anything to do with the bunny ears and tail Harry was now sporting, and did his best not to laugh when he noticed the twitching nose and whiskers. ''Did you need something, Harry?''

''I have an issue, obviously, that requires a Defense Agains the Dark Arts approach.''

''To be honest, I would think this would actually fall under Professor McGonagall's area of expertise.''

''Trust me,'' Harry said, looking over at Ron who was slapping his wand into his palm - apparently thinking it broken. ''This is a Denfese issue.''

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**YEAR 5**

Harry stared up at the ceiling, the warmth from his second butterbeer settling in his stomach. Remus had just left to go downstairs to get more 'midnight nutrition' as Sirius insisted upon calling it. He turned his head, watching as Sirius attempted to spin his butterbeer cap on the smooth surface of the nightstand. His focus traveling over the animagus intently, recording each detail in his mind. Sirius met his gaze, patiently waiting for whatever question his nephew wanted to know the answer to. Harry thought back to all the faces on the Black family tree and marveled at how the cold eyes that seemed to be present on every Black on the tapestry, Sirius' eyes held a much more ... loving, empathetic sheen to them. He saw a smirk peeking out from Sirius' beard, and realized he'd been staring. He smiled back, rolling his eyes and sat up straighter, his back to the headboard. ''Everyone says I have Mum's eyes.''

''You do,'' Sirius affirmed, letting Harry take the lead on the conversation.

''What ... what color were my Dad's eyes? I mean, I've seen pictures and I know they're some sort of light color, but-''

''Hazel. A very light shad of hazel. Always sparked with ... energy, amusement, a challenge, adventure - and also like he knew something you didn't and was very smug about. Annoyed Remus to no end when he gave him that look; poor man usually went bonkers thinking he'd forgotten about something.'' Sirius chuckled to himself. Stuffing the remaining treacle tart into his mouth, he reguarded Harry carefully. ''I see that in you, too, you know. That spark.''

''Yeah?''

''Yeah. Those may be your Mum's eye, but your Dad made sure he had a input.''

''As if looking like him wasn't enough?'' Harry grinned.

''Oh, believe me, he was smug about that, too. Said Lily must've loved him so much, she wanted another person just like him.''

''Am I really just like him?''

Sirius pursed his lips in thought. ''You are your own person, of course. Though, if I had to separate your characteristics and say who they belonged to,'' he hummed. ''Okay, let's go at it like this. You have your dad's looks and energy; your mom's personality; probably more like me mentally; your emotions you get from Remus, though.''

''Who gets their emotions from me?'' Remus asked, stepping through the door and closing it behind him.

''Hogwarts: A History. You've read it so much, you made a permanent impact on it.''

Remus blinked, confused. ''What?''

''You see what happens to me without trecle tart,'' Sirius said, grabbing one from Remus' arms. ''I stop making sense.''

''Thus, implying that you made sense before?'' Remus said slowly. ''Right,'' he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Sirius winked at Harry, and soon they were back into their conversation of telling Harry about their Marauder years, the first Order, and the precious year they had with him as a happy family with James and Lily.

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**YEAR 5**

Harry lay on his stomach in the middle of his bed, flipping through a recently found album. Most of the pictures were of his parent first two years of school; showing a still unified band of brothers and a disgruntled and annoyed Lily. Laughing, he turned the page of Remus being rudely awoken by the simultanious activity of Exploding Snaps, ice water, and a blueberry pie to the face. He squinted at the almost-faded, curvy scawl on the next picture: Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter. He furrowed his brows taking in the rest of the photo of the Marauders holding up a banner reading, 'Please go out with James', while his dad was singing and stumming a guitar. Harry suddenly felt the mattress dipping and looked up to see Sirius.

''You're mum, for a time, really thought we had a 'furry little problem' and took it upon herself to rename us, after some muggle bunnies of some sort. I never did find out whether I was Flopsy or Mopsy, though.'' He grinned at Harry, and they spent the rest of the afternoon going through the album, Sirius explaining each one as they went along.

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**YEAR 5**

''Mr. Weasley, can I talk to you for a moment?'' Harry asked in a hushed tone.

Mr. Weasley looked up from his paper. ''Of course.'' Standing, he and Harry maneuvered between the mob that was his family to a more secluded room. ''What's on your mind?'' he asked.

Harry seemed to struggle for the words before managing out, ''I wanted to apologize,'' he said firmly.

''Apologize? Whatever for?''

''In that ... dream; I didn't see it from an outside point of view ... I saw it from the snake's. I overheard Kingsley telling Tonks that Voldemort will try to get in my head ... make me do things.'' He paused, closing his eyes. ''What if - what if Voldemort took over my mind and made me to take over the snake's; what if I'm the one who bit you -''

''Harry I'm sure it wasn't -''

''What if it was?'' he said, banging his fist on the wall in frustration. ''What if they're right? Dumbledore won't talk to me, won't even look at me. Is that why? Does he really think he'll see Voldemort when he's near me?'' He looked to Mr. Weasley expectantly. ''What do you see; when you look at me, what do you see?''

Mr. Weasley was momentarily at a loss for words. ''I see ... a young boy ... whose under a lot of stress, and -''

''Stop. Stop sugar-coating things. I'm not fragile or ready to blow or -. Just ... never mind. Forget I said anything. I'm sorry for the bite.'' Harry quickly walked out of the room and went up the stairs to get the rest of his things for the train ride back to Hogwarts. Once in his bedroom, he stuffed the remainder of his things in his trunk, his hand bumping into the mirror Sirius had given him earlier. Leaving the last few bit of books and clothes on the floor, he hurried up to Buckbeck's room to talk to Sirius.

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**YEAR 3**

Harry made his way back to Gryffindor Tower. He was hurt. He almost wished that Professor Lupin had yelled at him; then he himself could be angry, but no, Lupin had taken a different route. One he wasn't used to. Someone explaining what he'd done wrong, someone to truly expect better of him. All he wanted was to see if Pettigrew was really there, to see if maybe there was an untold side to this escaped murderer, Sirius Black. To maybe talk to one of them and find out what really happened that Halloween night. Of all people, it had to be Snape that caught him out and about, and Lupin, the good professor stood up for him. He could still see the disappointment in Lupin's eyes and it brought an even stronger stinging sensation in the pit of his stomach. He'd let Lupin down, after everything he'd down for him.

Stopping suddenly, he realized something, something he'd missed until now: that before Professor Lupin could be disappointed in him, he had to at first be proud of him. That revelation just made his guilt weigh more heavily than it had been just seconds before, but it also made him determined; determined not to let Lupin down again. He started walking toward the tower again, resolved to make it up to Lupin.

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**YEAR 5**

Harry crept quietly down the stairs to Sirius' room and tapped on the door. When Sirius opened the door, Harry held a finger to his lips and motioned his uncle to follow him. They made their way to the front door, careful not to wake anyone. Harry opened the front door and looked out, making sure the coast was clear. Sirius tried to stop Harry, but the spark in his eyes made him follow after his nephew. They ran across the street and kept going until they were under the cover of trees in the darkness, and Sirius was glad he hadn't yet changed for bed.

''Harry, what are we doing?'' Sirius asked, voice just above a whisper.

Harry pulled two sheets and two bags out from under his jumper. ''You and I, Sirius, are going trick-or-treating. I know neither of us like this day, but it gives us both an excuse to go out, in public, with no one recognizing us, and have fun.'' He unfolded the sheets and threw one over Sirius, then over himself. ''We're just a couple of ghost, out on the town. Muggle ghost.''

Sirius considered the risks, weighed it against the hopeful look in Harry's eyes, and caved. He grabbed the bag Harry was holding out to him. ''Oh, alright.''

Harry grinned. ''Excellent.''

The next morning, everyone woke to find Harry leaning against Sirius' side at the kitchen table, asleep. Both of them woke when they heard the others making noise. Molly, upon finding out what had happened, started shouting at Sirius - she didn't have a chance to say much before Harry stepped in.

''SHUT UP!'' he shouted to be heard. ''Listen, all of you. It was my idea to sneak out last night - no,'' he stopped to point at Hermione, who was about to say something. ''It was my idea. Sirius either came with me or I would've went out on my own. I just wanted us to have one fun night together before I had to go back to school. You guys don't know what's it's like; feeling imprisoned, not able to do anything. Well, I do, and Sirius has been cooped up in this gloomy house - and Azkaban - for quiet awhile. Halloween, where everyone is in disguise, is most likely the only time we can be together in public, and I wasn't about to let the opportunity pass by.'' He began to walk away, but turned back around. ''Oh, and I'm doing the same thing with Uncle Remus tomorrow night, and if I see anyone following us - Sirius exclude - I'll tell Remus to apparate us somewhere else.'' He walked away, calling a 'good morning' over his shoulder.

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**YEAR 5**

Harry stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom adjacent to his dormitory, brushing his teeth. ''Ey-don-uder-stan-i-e-can-o-ome-or-alen-ens-ay.'' He had made sure the bathroom was empty before propping up the mirror Sirius had given him to communicate with on the counter.

Remus sighed. ''I'm sad to say I understood every word he said,'' he muttered.

Wipping his fingers on his pants, Sirius looked up. ''Sorry, pup. I couldn't hear anything over the muggle chips I was chewing. I do so love eating these in front of 'Mummy's' portriate.''

Harry leaned over the sink and spat out the now liquefied toothpaste. ''I said, I don't understand why we can't go home for Valentine's day.'' He picked up the mirror and, making sure the dorm room was clear, made his way to his bed and put a silencing charm on the curtains.

''What?'' Sirius raised his brows. ''Did you not get any Valentine's cards from adoring ladies?''

Harry glared and turned the mirror to the nine burlap sacks sitting near the end of his bed. Facing the mirror back to himself, he asked, ''Understand now?''

''I, understand perfectly.'' Remus began. '''Sirius the Casanova' on the other hand -''

''I was not a casanova, I was merely going for a record,'' Sirius defended.

''By dating every girl in the school and then breaking up with them a few days later,'' said Remus incredulousy.

''Not the Slytherin girls. Or your mother,'' Sirius hastily added to Harry. Turning back to Remus, he said, ''and how else was I to meet the deadline if I didn't break up with them quickly? Besides, this isn't about me, this is about Harry's conumdrum - I'm sorry, I still don't see how this is a problem for you.''

''I don't like - or know, for that matter - any of these girls. The only reason they're sending me cards is because I'm 'the boy who lived'. If that was off the table, they wouldn't even spare me a second glance.'' He sighed and slumped back into the pillows. ''This happens every year, why can't they just leave me alone?''

''Your famous and available,'' Sirius shrugged.

Remus rolled his eyes. ''That's not helping Sirius.''

''He's the one who has the load of byrds at his beck-and-call, and he's not whistling for any of them. It's not us he needs help from Remus; he needs Madam Puddifoot.''

Harry raised up suddenly. ''No, no. Never in a million years. No. If I go into that tea shop, she'll try to set me up with every single - possibly not single - female she knows. To be honest, I'd rather have Hagrid set me up with a hippogrif, or a flobberworm, or a ... a ... a banshee.''

''Banshee? I thought you shared my opinion of my mother?'' Sirius smirked.

''Harry needs us; so will you please take this conversation seriously - and no, we are not doing that joke again, so don't start it,'' warned Remus.

Harry furrowed his brows. ''What joke.''

''Seriously, Harry,'' Sirius began. ''Didn't you know how seriously Sirius I am. I thought everyone knew I'm serious. I'm Sirius you know. Seriously.''

Remus' groan was audible through his hands that covered his face. ''That is so old.''

Sirius nudged his brother. ''Seriously, Remus. We're supposed to be helping Harry with his serious problem.'' He turned to Harry. ''Why don't you just get a fake girlfriend?''

Harry sat up straighter. ''I could. That would work. Everyone would think I'm involved with someone and they'd leave me alone. I just have to think of who -''

''Hermione?'' Remus supplied.

Harry snorted. ''Ah, no. That would never work. If anyone came up to her and asked if we were dating, she wouldn't be able to pull off a convincing lie. Plus, I couldn't do that to Ron.''

Sirius nodded. ''What about Ginny?''

Harry spared a glance at the sacks. ''Could you garuntee that one of those Valentine's aren't one of her's. I wouldn't want to give her false hope - or Mrs. Weasley for that matter.''

''Well,'' Sirius started, ''those are the only girls your age I know. You could however always get a real byrd, like Hedwig.''

''I can hear her say no to that idea now.'' Harry wiggled his fingers. ''I can also feel the sting of her nips, as well.''

''You could try McGonagall,'' Remus said sarcastically, pointedly looking at Sirius.

''Oh, come on. What dog wouldn't want to chase that cat up a tree?'' Sirius asked.

''I always wondered if you were dropped on your head as a baby,'' Remus muttered.

Sirius grunted. ''Probably intentional.'' He noticed an odd grin spreading over his nephew's face. ''Think of someone?''

''Yeah,'' Harry said. ''I know the perfect person.''

Little did Harry know, three years latter, that perfect girl who he had asked to be his fake-girlfriend would be walking down the aisle toward him; soon to be his wife. His Mrs. Luna Lovegood Potter.

HP-HP-HP-HP-HP

**YEAR 5**

Remus and Sirius sipping their tea, having just woken up, and were waiting for Tonks to finish with breakfast. Everyone always had reservations concerning Tonks and cooking food - edible food at least - but she did seem to do well with breakfast items, and she definitely made a mean blueberry muffin. Remus flicked his wand to pour more tea as the other occupants of the house came downstairs.

Unbeknowest to them at the time ...

''Harry,'' warned Ron, ''I promise you, if you send that letter to Hermione, if you tell her about my crush on her, I'll -''

''Actually,'' Harry said, holding up a blank sheet of paper, ''this isn't the letter. I put the real letter on her pillow ... last night. So I'm sure she's had all sorts of wonderful dreams about her and Ronsie-pumkin -'' Harry didn't get to finish. Ron fled out of the room calling a 'I'm telling Sirius' over his shoulder, and Harry chased after him, full of dread and urgency.

Sirius paused with his tea cup at his lips as he heard loud clamoring down the stairs and his name being yelled - enough to wake up his mother from five levels up. ''Is that Ron?''

Bill looked at the door with narrowed eyes and a curious expression. ''Yeah. I recognize his screaming.'' At his father's pointed look, he raised his hands. ''What? He was born right after Fred and George. It wasn't my fault -''

Ron burst through the door, panting. ''Sirius! Last year, Harry took a bath with Moaning Myrtle!''

Harry skidded to a halt right outside the door, turned, and charged at Ron, tackling him at full speed. Both boys landed on the end of the table, their legs flailing off the side. They wrestled back and forth for a bit before Harry grabbed a blueberry muffin out of a overflowing, nearby basket, and stuffed it in Ron's mouth. Cramming three more in for good measure, he hauled a laughing Ron - his laugh muffled by the muffins - out into the hallway and pushed him towards the stairs.

Harry stopped at the door and turned around. Awakwardly, he said, ''There were ... bubbles in the tub and ... and, well I was there first! I didn't invite her! She just ... just jumped in of her own free will!'' He shifted back and forth on his feet for a moment before shutting the door behind him.

Remus calmly folded his paper and laid it down. ''What just happened?''

Sirius cut his eyes at Remus before nodding to himself. Taking his wand out from his belt, he gave a swish-and-flick motion, causing the door to reopen. Moving his wand once more, he waited patiently as Harry - who was twisting and turning to get away - floated above the table. Remus had kindly conjured a chair, and Sirius sat Harry in between them. He raised his arm and laid it across the back of the chair. Leaning toward Harry, he asked with a mischieviously wide grin, ''You did what, with Miss Moaning Myrtle?''

HP-HP-HP-HP-HP

**YEAR 5**

The twins apparated from their bedroom to the kitchen of Grimmauld Place after being called down for lunch for the fourth time. Seeing Harry hunched over reading, they gave each other a grin before flanking their seeker on either side. ''Foaming Freezie?'' they chorused together, holding out a deceptively deliciously-looking sweet.

Startled, Harry looked at each of them, turning his head side to side. ''Umm, later?'' he said uncertainly.

''No worries,'' Fred began.

''We don't blame you,'' George continued, finishing his brother's sentences.

''Didn't want to try them ourselves, really.''

''Not without Madam Pomfrey around, of course.''

''Inventors such as ourselves, however, do test the products first.''

''It's wise of you to refuse, really.''

Harry blinked. ''Does it count as wisdom if I learned from experience?''

Fred held a hand to his heart. ''Harry. Do you really believe we, of all people, would risk your safety? Continuously?''

Harry spiked his brow. ''Do I have to answer?''

George chuckled and looked down at Harry's books on the table. ''What are you reading, anyhow?''

''Muggle school work,'' Harry answered.

Fred raised the part of the book to look at the cover. ''It doesn't look like the Muggle study's textbook we got.''

''What is all of this jibberish?'' George asked, trying to decipher what was on the pages.

''No, it's not the things they teach at Hogwarts. Seeing as how I didn't know I was a wizard, I went to muggle public school like all the other kids. After I got my Hogwarts letter, I didn't want to stop learning all the things I was, so I kinda took an alternate route to get my muggle diploma in addition to my Hogwarts one.''

At this, Hermione looked affronted. ''You can't do that. You have to choose Hogwarts or muggle school. You can't do both.''

''I've been doing it for four years now, so, yeah, I think I can.'' Harry knew where this conversation would be going and took a deep breath to prepare himself. ''Look, we you got your letter, your parent's had to go to your school and inform them about a transfer, right? The muggle school system assummed you'd be learning something similar to what they were teaching you at the time, so they just approved it and gave you the transfer. I didn't transfer; I dropped out of muggle school and took up home schooling. I go to the school board during the summer and get my books, study around my Hogwarts schedule, and the next summer take a test to see if I passed the grade level. Surely you knew about home schooling, yes?''

Hermione had opened and closed her mouth while he was explaining, and looked even more miffed as Harry had kept talking. ''Of course I know about home schooling, I just didn't know it was optional that you can do both.''

''You mean it didn't occur to you. You did know, you just didn't think of it. Oi,'' Harry leaned back in surprise when Hermione jerked the textbook out of his hands. ''What do you think you're doing?''

''What does it look like I'm doing, studying.''

''Yeah, well,'' Harry reached over and grabbed his book back, ''I'm using it right now. Besides, you can't start where I am. You'd have to go back to the school board and sign up for the grade level you stopped on. None of this would make since if you just skip ahead.''

''I'm sure I can figure it out if you can,'' Hermione continued to try and pull the books toward her but Harry moved them out of her reach. ''You have three right there, you can't be reading all of them at the same time, so -''

''Hermione, stop.'' Holding one book at a time up to his chest so she couldn't take it away again - and, being thankful the table was between them - he tried to calmly explain. ''This is my textbook, this one is my comprehensive guide and this is my workbook. So yes, I do need all three.''

''Well, give me one of the other subjects. I can do math while you do history or something.''

''They're all-in-one books,'' he said, turning the text book to show her how thick it was. ''All the subjects I need to study for are in these - and before you ask, no, I'm not ripping them apart to give you a subject. If you want to finish your muggle schooling, you'll have to take it up with your parents, and pick up where you left off.'' He stood and picked up his chair, moving to sit in between Sirius and Remus; where he knew Sirius would keep Hermione away and Remus would cast a silencing charm so he wouldn't hear her huffs and the sound of her arms and legs crossing and recrossing - and shift so he was in front of him so he didn't have to feel her eyes burning a hole in his head.

After a while, Harry glanced up to see Hermione storm out of the room. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. At that moment, he felt a weight on his shoulder; Hedwig always did seem to know just when he needed her. Stroking her feathers, he said, ''Hermione will probably want to send a letter to her parents, if you don't mind. Just take the letter in your beak, though, don't let her tie it to your leg. With the mood she's in, she'll tie it too tightly and end up hurting you.'' Hedwig took off, and he noticed she had that regal look in her eyes. The one that almost made him think she was in some way a royal owl and was not to be treated disrespectfully. He knew Hedwig wouldn't be taking that letter without a few rough nips. Looking back to his homework, he noticed his pencil was gone, and turned to find Sirius balancing it on his nose. Harry smiled gratefully as Remus reached around and flicked his brother's chin, which knocked the pencil into Harry's waiting hand. He shook his head fondly and continued to study.

HP-HP-HP-HP-HP

**YEAR 5**

''What's going on in this one,'' Harry asked his uncles, pointing to a photo of his seventeen-year-old parents. His father was holding open his shirt, exposing the top half of his chest, while his mother leaned up to kiss his cheek.

''Ah, yes, the freckles.'' Remus smiled and shook his head.

''It was 'Meet the Parents' day,'' Sirius began. ''It was during a Hogwarts break, and since they'd both passed their apparation test, Lily apparated to the Leaky Cauldron for breakfast with the Potters, and then both apparated to some muggle restaurant in London to meet the Evans' for lunch.''

''Veron was there, too, I believe,'' Remus added.

Sirius rolled his eyes. ''Like he's worth mentioning,'' he muttered. ''Anyway, it was sometime during lunch that your dad noticed your mother's freckle missing.'' He pointed to Lily's neck in the photo. ''You can barely make it out it was so small, but your dad knew every part of your mother, inside and out, like the back of his hand. Your dad actually left the restaurant just to find the missing freckle so he could reattach it. Your mum - who, we're quite certain was having 'her time of the month' - burst into tears, claiming that was the most romantic declaration of love she'd ever heard.''

Remus, who'd rolled his eyes at the time of month pun, continued, ''Then, your dad noticed that the tone of her crying had changed. Your mum said she was upset, in greater words, of course, because she didn't know you father as well as he knew her, and that she was a lousy girlfriend.''

''Her words, not ours,'' Sirius automatically defended. He laughed fondly. ''Your dad went to the bathroom, and took off all of his clothes to look for a freckle.''

''Unfortunately, he didn't find one.''

''So he told the Lily and her family that he would be right back and asked a waiter where the nearest tattoo parlor was.''

''I should mention, James did not like tattoos. Nor Lily, for that matter.''

''Yet, he walked in, told the man he was in a hurry and just needed a tattoo that looked like a freckle.''

''When he got back to the restaurant, he unbuttoned his shirt to show your mum the freckle he'd gotten tattooed right above his heart. Told her that he'd had it put there so that she would always know where it was because it was where she always was in him.''

''Of course, that just led to more crying, but it was the good kind of cry, so your dad just held her.'' Sirius pointed to the small dot in the center of James' chest.

Harry smiled at the photo, then looked up, disbelief written on his face. ''I've got a freckle right above my heart, too.'' Pulling up his shirt to his chest, he showed his uncles the small round dot.

''No way,'' Sirius said, conjurning a camera. ''Smile.''

Remus leaned in, murmuring, ''You know, if you look close enough, it almost looks like a heart.''

Harry smiled, having discovered another part of him that connected him to his parents.

HP-HP-HP-HP-HP

**YEAR 5**

''So, after all the failed attempts,'' Harry asked, carefully spooning out a bit of cake, ''how did Dad win Mum over?''

Remus, sitting on the opposite stool as his nephew nodded - both from the memory and the chocolatey goodness they were currently 'sampling'. Remus had had a midnight craving for chocolate and, having run out, decided that if he just ate in the middle of Sirius' surprise birthday cake, then he could hide the evidence of his night-time snack by filling the hole with icing, and his brother would be none the wiser the next day when it came time to cut the cake. Harry, not being able to sleep, had joined him not long after.

''Well,'' Remus began, ''it was in seventh year; about a month in. Anyway, one day after dinner we were going to sneak into Hogsmeade to ... oddly enough, replinish my chocolate stash. We got the map out to make sure it was all clear when we saw your mum in one of the corridors -''

''Despite your dad's claims that he was not a stalker, he'd charmed the map to make her name glow, so he'd always know where she was the second he opened the map. Did you know he had a shrine dedicated to her? Yeah, he found an old abandon classroom down a corridor that no one traveled anymore, and just filled it with pictures, candles that smelled like her soap and shampoo, pieces of parchment she'd discarded -''

''Sirius, we have had this conversation many times already, he was not a stalker. He was just ... madly in love with her.''

''He had the 'mad' part down, alright,'' Sirius muttered, lazily stabbing at the cake in front of them.

''Anyway,'' Remus said over Harry's chuckling, ''your dad was unable to resist seeing what your mum was doing out of the tower so late, so we turned the map to where she was. She was with another person; I don't recall the name.''

''Some first year,'' Sirius said. ''Slytherin. According to your mum, the kid was upset; homesick, you know, so she'd stopped to comfort her. Fortunately, with us having the map, we saw that it was a trap. Other sixth and seventh year Slytherins were heading their way.''

''We all jumped up and started running. Casting any spell we could think of that would make loud noises and flashing sparks so people would be able to find us with the hope that if the Slytherins knew we were coming, they'd run.''

''We should mention here that your mother had reported to McGonagall about an attack she'd overheard a Death Eater-in-training planning, and the student was expelled. So we knew whatever was happening would be serious revenge on their part.''

Remus shook his head. ''We knew their names of course because of the map, and the paintings were awake to bare witness so the students were dealt with ... but we still got there too late.''

''Just as well they'd run off when they did,'' Sirius murmured darkly. Looking over, he smiled at Harry and said, ''Your mum was unconscience when we got to her. Barely recognizeable from all their curses, but she was still alive, at least. Got her to Madam Pomfrey, and she fixed her right up. Had to stay in the hospital wing for about a month, though.''

''Your dad took notes in all her classes - which meant skipping some of his own classes, but we took notes for him on those occassions. Copied excerpts from library books so she wouldn't have to look anything up. All of that work fell to us when she woke up, though. He told Madam Pomfrey that he didn't care if it was past visiting hours, that he was going to stay with your mum, and if that meant he had to continuously break his arm to be able to do so then so be it.''

Sirius snorted into a glass of milk. ''I can't believe it took three times of him actually breaking his arm before she believed him.''

''Having your dad around 24/7 to entertain, dote upon, and take care of her every need must have wore down any defenses she'd had. After she was released, she'd agreed to one date - just the one - which ended up being a second, a third, a fourth -''

''They were disgustingly smitten with each other.''

''She said having to spend so much time with your dad, seeing how he really was instead of how he portrayed himself, was what won her over. That, and he alway gave her his dessert from dinner. He told her that sweets would aid in her recovery.''

Silence followed for a short time, both men allowing Harry to process what had happened. Sirius looked between his brother and nephew and smirked. ''You two do realize that we're going to have to bake another cake for my birthday, right?''

Realization seem to strike as Remus looked up quickly. ''What birthday ca - when did you get here?'' he spluttered.

''Not long after Harry,'' Sirius replied, poking at another bit of the almost gone cake. ''Delicious.''

''It was supposed to be a surprise,'' Harry groaned.

''I can act surprised,'' Sirius said around his mouthfull, ''watch.'' Inhaling a deep breath, he said with a shocked expression, ''A birthday cake! Just for me-eh -''

''Shhh,'' Remus hushed, his hand still clamped over Sirius' mouth. ''People are trying to sleep. Ugghh, gross.'' He quickly started rubbing his palm on his pants leg, trying to get the saliva off his hand from where Sirius licked it.

''Works every time,'' Sirius winked at Harry, and laughed even harder when Remus went to wash his hand.

__


End file.
